Hollywood Nights (16 page)

“How many of these home visits do you do every month for clients?” I said to her when the magazine bored me again.

“Hmm.” She popped her gum. “For movie premieres? Maybe three. Sometimes five. Depends on the time of year.” Patricia fluffed my hair. “That doesn’t include the charity dinners and kids’ birthday parties. The worst ones are the sweet sixteens.”

I laughed. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

She held up her free hand. “People out here know no boundaries. They’ll give their kids anything.”

My stomach twisted, and I had to work to keep my nerves under control. After the premiere, we would be
everywhere
—on not a few Hollywood blogs, but everywhere. A restaurant opening was one thing, but a movie premiere like this would be another. The gossip blogs wouldn’t be the only groups interested in us. Mainstream media would care about our relationship, too. Tanner had said to expect hundreds of photographers instead of dozens, and for the stakes to be higher because of all the positive press
Deceived Love
received at the Cannes Film Festival. Thousands of housewives in Iowa and teenagers in Houston would know my name.

Surreal.

Distraction. I needed a distraction. “What’s the most outrageous sweet sixteen party you’ve worked?”

She put a hand on her hip. “Honey, I could line a hundred of those parties up, and each one would be more outrageous than the last. Already this year, I did hair for a spa party over in Malibu, and blowouts for one producer’s daughter who had her own red carpet event.”

As Patricia shared her stories, my thoughts drifted to my father back in Ohio. I hadn’t called him in more than a month, and thinking about it embarrassed me, but it had been a deliberate choice on my part. How would I explain any of this to him? I’d been lying for ages. The last time we talked, he still thought I worked as a hostess at a steakhouse in Santa Monica, going on auditions on my days off, and splitting rent with Samantha and Kelly, my “two closest Los Angeles friends.”

All lies. On top of more lies. And I knew I needed to at least clue him into the major changes in my life. I decided I’d call him the next day. I’d force myself to do it.

“Close your eyes and shake.” Patricia stepped away from me as if she wanted to get a better view. I followed her orders. “Good.” She sprayed hairspray over me, and when the cloud lifted, she pulled away the black cloth cape and handed me a large mirror. “What do you think?”

The woman I saw wore a black romper with a small red rose print, flecked thread and black booties with wide heels. Her hair had tons of volume, and loose, beachy curls flowed backward from a large teased section. Natural eye makeup and rosy cheeks complemented a large swath of 1960s-style false eyelashes and blood red lips.

“I love it,” I said.

“You look sexy.” Patricia handed me a red beaded handbag. “Gorgeous. Did you pick this outfit?”

I nodded. “Fred Segal. Just into the store this week.”

“Tanner’s going to love this.”

I took one deep breath. “You think so?”

“I used to do hair and makeup for—ahem—for someone else. So I’m telling you, honey, I know what he likes. He’s going to be impressed.”

“Good,” I said. And right after I did, I realized I wasn’t acting anymore.

W
hen Brynn and Patricia walked into kitchen a few minutes before James arrived with the freshly washed Mercedes, my heart jumped into my throat. I didn’t expected what I saw. She’d been stunning before, even gorgeous, but she looked a-fucking-mazing. Better than any other woman I’d
ever
seen.

“So?” Patricia said. “What do you think?”

“What do I—” The words caught in my throat. “You are beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Brynn said. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

It was too much. I was over the edge, and I had to fight back the urge to tell her we needed to skip the premiere and stay home so I could take her upstairs and make her come five ways.

Damn it.

We couldn’t do that. We had a business arrangement, and nothing more. We had signed documentation. We needed to keep it clean. I owed her that much. I had promised her at the beginning this wouldn’t be about sex, and that I didn’t want her as a sex-for-hire employee.

“I don’t want to be late,” I said when James came in from the garage. “We’re leaving now.”

As we made our way to the car, I told Patricia to send me a bill, and I barked a few orders at James. I knew I sounded like an asshole, but I didn’t care. Anything to make sure I didn’t spend too much time staring at Brynn, her mouth and the way her clothes hugged her perky little chest. Damn, she was hot as fuck, and the outfit, whatever it was, showed off her sculpted, flawless legs while the red lipstick made her mouth shine like licorice.

I was halfway hard already.

Riding to the premiere, I watched her out of the corner of my eye, but only when I knew she wouldn’t see me looking. As ten minutes became fifteen, and then twenty, I wondered how much longer I’d be able to take the pressure.

This wasn’t part of my plan. Not at all. After our night at Avalon, I’d vowed once more to keep this strictly business. Brynn was here to rehab my reputation in the press. She was here as my employee. Two simple things.

Remember, Tanner.

“After we get through the red carpet, the photos, and the interviews, it’s not a big deal,” I managed to say to her as the car slowed down near the theater. “Simple. And I forgot to mention, there’s a private party after the movie in the barn at the Lorraine House. We’ll probably have our photograph taken there, too.”

“Did you say Lorraine House?” Her eyes widened as she repeated the name back to me, and that reminded me of how I’d felt years ago, in those heady few months after it became obvious
Regent
would be a critical and ratings success. That had been such a special time. I hadn’t realized then how fleeting that would turn out to be.

“I don’t usually go to those, but we can this time because it might be some good networking for you,” I said. “Probably some free shit, too. Sometimes the bigger premieres have a gifting suite.”

“Wow.”

“It’s not as big of a deal as you think,” I said. “And after a while, you get used to this. Most premieres are all the same.”

We fell into a few moments of awkward silence, and then she cocked her head. “You’ve been acting weird for the last hour at least. What’s going on?”

I grunted. Didn’t have a good answer.

“Talk to me, Tanner.”

“We’re here,” I said as James brought the Mercedes to a stop. “Just do your job, okay? Do what I pay you for.”

Her hand touched my arm. “Have I ever not?”

“No,” I said. “But this—” My gaze roamed over her body once again. “I’m not thinking clearly right now.”

“Neither am I.”

I cupped her face with my hand and moved to kiss her lips, but I stopped when the car door flew open.

“Mr. Vance,” James said. “They’re waiting for you.”

Without another word, I got out of the car and then turned around to help Brynn. The thick crowd pressed closer to us, and dozens of shutters went off as we walked toward the step and repeat. Brynn fixed a wide smile on her face and we posed.

“Is this what you wanted?” she muttered from behind clenched teeth.

“Perfect.”

We switched our stances as a few photographers called out to us. More cameras flashed, and then I walked over to a gaggle of them for interviews. Brynn followed me, but it all passed by in a blur. Soon enough, we took our seats inside the theater and watched the film.

I hated it.

Maybe it didn’t help I’d been up for the part, but the producers hadn’t wanted to cast me. My freak show personal life had ruined my chance to be in one of the best movies of the year. Watching what could have been on the big screen had been absolute torture.

“Let me get us a few drinks,” I said to Brynn once we arrived at Lorraine House for the after party. “Diet Coke for me, of course.” I gave her hand a quick squeeze and walked away to the freestanding bar. When I turned around a few minutes later, I saw Brynn across the room.

Brynn and Graham McLean.

She stood about three hundred feet away, holding a small plate of canapés and while she talked with him. Graham McLean. Of all fucking people. Graham I-eat-pussy-for-breakfast McLean.

Whatever I had, he always wanted it, including women. Graham and I had been enemies ever since our co-starring turn on
Regent;
he had a thing for brunettes, and he liked moving through the extras on the show, then tossing all of his easy conquests in my face, especially women he could tell I wanted, too. Looked to me like that hadn’t changed much.

Plus, Graham had the starring role in
Deceived Love
—the part I knew should have been mine.

Shit, if Graham thought he’d get to fuck Brynn as his latest conquest…

I slammed the glasses on a nearby table and made my way through the crowd, headed right toward Graham and Brynn. I didn’t see the rest of the partygoers anymore; I didn’t care who noticed me—none of them mattered. I only saw Brynn, who had her back turned to me, and Graham, a snake in human form. This asshole wouldn’t leave her alone; for the last ten minutes I’d watched him ignore every other woman in the room, as if Brynn were a rare diamond he had to claim before anyone else.

That would end. Immediately. No more hesitation. I’d get what I wanted, and I wanted her. Who had I been kidding about all of this, anyway? Myself? Maybe this started out as a business relationship, but I couldn’t—and wouldn’t—deny it anymore. Why should I? We had chemistry. We had—something. All I knew was, Brynn was mine. All mine.

And after tonight, no one else would have her, and especially not Graham McLean.

Go time.

“Honey, are you enjoying yourself?” I said when I reached Brynn’s side. I wrapped my arm around her waist and nuzzled her neck. Her hair smelled like fresh-cut roses—why hadn’t I noticed earlier?—and her creamy skin enticed me to pull her ever closer. “Can I get you anything?”

Brynn moved closer to me, falling back into the role of dutiful girlfriend. “There you are. I was wondering where you’d run off to.”

I searched her expression. Was she acting? Did she mean that, or was this fake?

“You know how it is, baby,” I said, loud enough so Graham would hear me use the term with her. “Business never stops. Gotta work the room.”

“Didn’t realize you two knew each other so well.” Graham clicked his teeth. “This a new thing?”

“It’s out there,” I said. “Brynn’s my girlfriend. We’ve been together a few weeks.”

How interesting.” Then he chuckled. “You don’t date anymore. You fuck. That’s it. Everyone in town knows.”

What a dickhead. No question. His grin and an even stupider expression on his face gave him away.

“As a matter of fact, Graham, Brynn is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.” I liked the way that comment sounded on my tongue.

“Where’d you all meet?”

“Sunset Boulevard,” Brynn said. “Outside a restaurant where I worked as a hostess.” She blushed. “My car wouldn’t start, and he offered me a hand. Such an old-fashioned gentleman.”

“Gentleman?” Graham didn’t sound convinced.

“That’s what he was,” Brynn said. “And he’s been that way ever since.”

“How fantastic,” Graham said. His nostrils flared, and I wondered how hard it was for him to give me a compliment.

“Turned out I had a pretty serious problem.” She laughed and drew closer to me. “Honestly, I don’t know what I would have done if he hadn’t shown up. I would have been stranded at three in the morning.”

I had to marvel at this woman.

“I was happy to help, sweetheart.” I kissed her on the cheek, making sure it was the kind of gesture that would have sold our relationship to anyone. Then I kissed the thin, wispy hairs flying free across the top of her hairline. She didn’t pull away.

When I gave Graham my attention again, he excused himself.
Good
. I waited until he got out of earshot to speak.

“Excellent work tonight,” I said under my breath. “Especially then. Believable.”

“Happy to do my job. Anything else you need people to see?”